YOU AND YOUR STREET VERGE
This information booklet is for people who may not be sure of property boundaries or their entitlements and
responsibilities for care and maintenance of their street verge.
ISV003 You and Your Street Verge
YOUR VERGE EXPLAINED The verge is the area between the road and your
property boundary. Verges have the potential to
serve important ecological functions in urban
environments.
The verge remains the property of the Crown, but is a
shared resource and is used in a number of dif erent
ways, including:
FOR UTILITY PROVIDERS The verges enable a number of utilities to service
private lots - telecommunications, electricity, gas,
water, sewers and trunk or regional services.
FOR CROSSOVERS Also known as a driveway, a crossover is the strip of
land which runs at a right angle to the road, dissects
a verge, is established to connect a property to the
road and is the responsibility of the property owner
it is adjacent to.
FOR STREET TREES A strip of soil approximately 60cm wide and 2.75m
from the front property boundary has been set aside
for the planning of street trees by the City.
FOR PATHWAYS The City’s policies determine if a pathway is to be
introduced alongside a kerb or close to the property
boundary.
The verge is the responsiblity of the property owner
or resident and we strongly encourages residents/
tenants to care for their verge in order to increase the
aesthetics of their property and the street.
CROSSOVER Crossovers must be installed to an approved standard
to allow vehicles to gain access from the road reserve
and into your property. This insures that vehicles do
not damage pathways, make the verge uneven, alter
the level of the verge, cause hazards to pedestrians
and dislodge soil onto the road.
Applications should be made to the council for
specif cations and approval to construct a crossover
to the City’s approved standard. On completion, a
claim can be made to the City for its contribution
towards the cost of one crossover per lot.
Current policy is to approve bitumen/asphalt,
concrete and brick/block paved crossovers in
residential areas with street kerbing and gravel
crossovers in semi-rural/rural areas with lots greater
than 4 hectares.
Please Note: A gravel crossover must be sealed for the
f rst 5-6m from the edge of a sealed road.
Crossovers can be constructed by removing the
existing pathway to keep the current theme of
the driveway or constructed up to the edge of the
pathway or back of kerb. Mountable kerbs are to
be retained and semi-barrier/barrier kerbs can be
removed to create a smoother crossing point from
the road pavement into the driveway. The City would
prefer that the pathway is not removed if it is in a
good condition. The wings on the crossover can be
curved or straight and they are also optional.
For more information on Crossovers, please refer
to the City’s Crossover Specif cations, which can be
found of the City’s website.
FENCING Regulations govern the maximum height and
conf guration of a fence along the front boundary
of a property and set out certain conditions which
must be met before the height of the fence can be
raised. When fencing a corner lot, sight lines must be
maintained for vehicles approaching the intersection.
A dividing fence is a fence that separates the land of
dif erent owners whether the fence on the common
boundary of adjoining land or a line other than the
common boundary. A dividing fence does not include
a retaining wall.
The City of Greater Geraldton does not contribute
to the dividing fence when it is adjacent to a road
reserve, access-way, public open space or other land
that is owned by the crown or under the care of the
City of Greater Geraldton.
For more information, please refer to the City’s
Dividing Fences - Local Planning Policy, which can be
found on the City’s website.
Additionally for more information regarding Dividing
Fences Act 1961, an online brochure ‘Dividing Fences
Page 2 © City of Greater Geraldton 2017
You and Your Street Verge ISV003
A Guide’ can be downloaded from the Department of
Commerce - Building Commission website
www.commerce.wa.gov.au/building-commission or
telephone the Building Commission on 1300 489 099.
KERBSIDE HOUSE NUMBERS The City supports the clear identif cation of house
numbers on kerbs for ease of access by emergency
vehicles and visitors. There is no obligation on
property owners to have their house numbers
painted on the kerb.
It will be the responsibility of the property owner/
resident to ensure the correct house number only is
painted on the kerb. Lot numbers are not allowed. If
you are unsure or having issues with your property
street address, please contact the City of Greater
Geraldton.
For more information on Kerbside House
Numbering, please refer to the City’s Verge Treatment
Specif cations, which can be found on the City’s
website.
PERMISSIBLE VERGE
TREATMENTS STREET LAWNS AND GARDENS The City of Greater Geraldton does not assist with the
maintenance of the property adjoining verge. The City
relies on each property owner/resident maintaining
the verge at the front or side of their property. Verge
maintenance by the City is limited to pruning of street
trees and slashing of grass once a year, on request,
to prevent a f re hazard. Any further improvement is
by the property owner and adds to the aesthetics of
the property. It is not possible for Council to control
weed growth by mechanical means, so where they
become a problem, weeds along pathways and kerbs
are sprayed.
Local laws allow street lawns, street trees, gardens and
reticulation to be installed. Street verge gardens must
not be hazardous to pedestrian or motorists. Thorny
or prickly plants such as roses should not be planted
and shrubs that block the line of sight to neighbours
backing out of their properties should be avoided.
Shrubs should not exceed 600mm in height.
No barriers or other obstructions are permitted on the
verge other than a temporary enclosure consisting of
wooden stakes and rope to assist in the establishment
of a new lawn. Once the lawn has been established
the wooden stakes and rope must be removed. Steel
star pickets and rocks are not to be placed on the
verge under any circumstances.
OTHER VERGE COVERING MATERIALS Materials such as brick/block paving, bitumen/
asphalt, faux brick and limestone/gravel are permitted
on the verge but must be maintained so it does not
end on the road, pathways or in the City’s drainage
system. Any materials that are placed on the verge
must not alter the existing verge level, generally a 2%
gradient/fall towards the road.
Please Note: The verge is primarly a public service
corridor and at times will be dug up to install new
services. The City and service providers are not
responsible for any private access or verge treatment
reinstatement placed within the corridor.
For more information on Permissible Verge
Treatments, please refer to the City’s Verge Treatment
Specif cations, which can be found on the City’s
website.
NON-PERMISSIBLE VERGE
TREATMENTS VERGE OBSTRUCTIONS
The City of Greater Geraldton will not accept items
being placed within or encroach into the verge
unless otherwise approved. Obstructions can be a
hazard to pedestrians and have the potential to cause
an accident or injury. Some of these things can be:
retaining walls, letterboxes, rocks, steel stakes, edging
not f ush with the ground level and kerb, spikey/
thorny plants, rubble, building materials.
For more infromation on Non-Permissible Verge
Treatments, please refer to the City’s Verge
Specif cations or the City’s Activities in Thoroughfares
and Public Places and Trading Local Law 2011, which
can be found on the City’s website.
Example of what is not allowed on the verge.
© City of Greater Geraldton 2017 Page 3
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ISV003 You and Your Street Verge
RUBBISH DISPOSAL The City ofers a weekly mobile garage bin (MGB)
collection service for all residents and businesses.
Please ensure the MGBs do not weigh more than
70km and are placed on the verge prior to 6am
on your collection day. On public holidays, MGB
collections continue as normal with the exception
of Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Good Friday.
Collections that would normally occur on these days
usually take place the following day, unless advertised.
MGBs must be in a serviceable condition (i.e. no
cracks/splits that could allow rubbish to escape, not
overflled – lid to be closed etc) and orientated so that
the bin lids open facing the road with handles and
wheels nearest the house. MGBs should be placed
a maximum of 1m from the kerb or road edge and
multiple MGB’s should be spaced approximately 1m
apart.
For more information regarding Domestic Rubbish
Collection, please refer to the City’s Household
Rubbish Collection Day maps, which can be found on
the City’s website.
DROP-OFF SERVICE Residents can also drop-of waste to the Meru Waste
Disposal Facility (Landfll Lane, Narngulu) or Mullewa
Transfer Station (Carnarvon-Mullewa Road, Mullewa),
fees may apply for this service.
PENISONER BULK BIN PROGRAM The City has introduced a Pensioner Bulk Bin Program
to help pensioners in hardship. The program ofers
the eligible applicants with a 3m³ skip bin for seven
days where the applicant can use the program for
their household waste.
If in doubt on any matter concerning Waste
Management within the City, please don’t hesitate
to contact the Environmental Health and Waste
Department on (08) 9956 6600.
STORING MATERIALS ON THE
VERGE Building materials cannot be stored on a verge unless
the work being carried out on a property has been
approved and a verge bond held by the City. Theand a v ge b
storage of materials is subject to the conditions of themat ials is su
building hoar lic .ding hoarding licenceding licence.
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the City’s website.
STREETLIGHTS The majority of the streetlights in the City of Greater
Geraldton are provided by Western Power. The City of
responsible for the cost of new streetlights and the
running costs of the existing streetlights. If you are
aware of any safety, vandalism or maintenance issues
for streetlights, please contact Western Power on 13
13 51 or go to www.westernpower.com.au.
FAULTY STREET LIGHTS Streetlight fault reports should be sent directly to
Western Power with information to identify the
location and pole number. You can contact Western
Power on 13 13 51 or via an online form on their
website Report a Faulty Streetlight.
SHADING The City will not consider requests for streetlight
shading where; carriageway, pathway or verge
illumination or safety would be comprised. Where a
decision has been made to request the installation
of streetlight shading, the cost of the installing the
shading will be met by the applicant.
STREET TREES The City regards street trees as being highly desirable
and integral to the urban landscape, providing a range
of social, environmental and economic advantages. As
such they are considered to be a primary part of the
public landscape amenity afecting and beneftting
all residents within a locality.
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Page 4 © City of Greater Geraldton 2017
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You and Your Street Verge
for creating functional and aesthetic streetscapes.
The City will provide one street tree per frontage or
on large properties a minimum of 15m apart. The
species of tree will be in keeping with an existing
theme planting for your street. Council accepts that
the City of Greater Geraldton is responsible for the
post planting care and maintenance of all street
trees; however, property owners/residents will be
encouraged to assist with street tree watering. The
City will water street trees for the frst two years, but
specifc requirements can be discussed with the City’s
Infrastructure Department.
STREET TREE REMOVAL The City staf will evaluate requests for removal
of street trees following an inspection. Certain
conditions must be evident for a street tree to be
considered for removal. Shedding leaves, fowers, bark
fruit and obstruction of surrounding view are not valid
reasons to remove street trees.
STREET TREE PRUNING The City will prune street trees that have grown close
to power lines and are a genuine threat to power
lines. Street tree pruning is carried out in accordance
with horticultural acceptable practices. Unnecessary
pruning can result in poor canopy formation, limb
shedding and structurally dangerous trees.
For more information, please refer to the City’s Street
Tree Specifcations, which can be found on the City’s
website.
UNDERGROUND SERVICE
LOCATIONS Before any landscaping or excavation works on your
verge, contact ‘Dial before You Dig’ on 1100 or go
to www.1100.com.au to ascertain the location of
any underground services such as gas, water and
telecommunications. If you damage any public
utilities during your landscaping without checking
frst, you may be liable for the cost of the repair.
VERGE STOPPING & PARKING
LOCAL LAWSA VERGE PARKINGP 1.. A person shall not stop or park a vehicle on aA l nnot r par vv
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ISV003
consent of that occupier, drive, park or stop a
vehicle upon that verge.
3. A person shall not park a commercial vehicle on
a verge unless it is being loaded or unloaded
with reasonable expedition with goods,
merchandise or materials collected from or
delivered to the premises adjacent to the
portion of the verge on which the commercial
vehicle is parked, provided no obstruction is
caused to the passage of any vehicle or person
using a carriageway or a path.
A person can only stop on a pathway or in front of a
driveway if the driver is picking up, or dropping of
passengers.
STOPPING HEAVY, COMMERCIAL AND OTHER
TYPES OF VEHICLES IN BUIT-UP AREAS 1. A person shall not park – a. A vehicle or any
combination of vehicles that, together with any
projection on, or load carried by, the vehicle or
combination of vehicles, is 7.5 metres or more
in length or exceeds a GVM of 4.5 tonne; b. A
commercial vehicle; c. A caravan; d. A bus;
e. A tow truck; f. A tractor; or g. A trailer on a
carriageway or verge in a built-up area between
the hours of 6.00pm one day and 7.000am
the following day and for more than 3 hours
consecutively between the hours of 7.00am and
6.00pm.
2. Nothing in this clause mitigates the limitations
or conditions imposed by any other clause or
by any local law or trafc sign relating to the
parking or stopping of vehicles.
NO PARKING OF VEHICLES EXPOSED FOR SALE
AND IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES A person shall not park a vehicle in any portion of a
thoroughfare –
1. For the purpose of exposing it for sale;
2. If that vehicle is not licensed under the Road
Trafc Act;
3. If that vehicle is a trailer or a caravan unattached
to a motor vehicle; or
4. For the purpose of efecting repairs to it, other
than the minimum repairs necessary to enable
the vehicle to be moved ted to a place other thana place
a thoroughfare.
For more infe inforormmation, please r fer to the Citmaat refer he y s rkingmoo ease ree yy s Ps Paa’
and Parking Facilities Local Law 2012, which can behichandnd PaPa nngnngggg FF ci es L cal Law 2012, which can bal LaLa 2012 wwhhihic
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© City of Greater Geraldton 2017 Page 5